While the rest of the world is seemingly falling apart, there are some constants that we can hold onto. One of these is that Syfy will use St. Patrick’s Day to share at least one Leprechaun-themed movie, and this March 17th they’re doubling down by showing both 2018’s Leprechaun Returns and 2012’s Leprechaun’s Revenge. While the latter film isn’t actually part of the main Leprechaun franchise, Syfy’s theme means that audiences will be able to see the two titles alternate from 8pm to 4am EST.
The Steven Kostanski-directed Leprechaun Returns was the better-regarded attempt to relaunch the long-running series in the 2010s, coming after the mixed reception for 2014’s Leprechaun: Origins. Kostanski, who partnered with Jeremy Gillespie for the excellent 2016 horror film The Void, did a decent job of bringing the Leprechaun franchise back to basics. Although Warwick Davis doesn’t appear as the Leprechaun, the original 1993 film was referenced by having Jennifer Aniston’s character’s daughter as the lead.
We weren’t major fans of Leprechaun Returns, but it did at least remove some of the silliness of the franchise to focus on the Leprechaun taking down a group of sorority sisters in various bloody ways. While a follow-up doesn’t appear to be on the cards at the moment, there’s still love out there for the franchise, with prolific horror director Darren Lynn Bousman keen on making a new entry.
By contrast, 2012’s Leprechaun’s Revenge only shares a concept with the Leprechaun series, having been renamed from Red Clover by Syfy in what was presumably an effort to trade on audience familiarity with the property. It’s a shame, then, that Syfy aren’t running a full Leprechaun marathon, in the same way they’ve recently devoted their schedule to a 24-hour Friday the 13th run, or a A Nightmare on Elm Street focus for Christmas Day. Still, with many typical St. Patrick’s Day celebrations likely off due to COVID-19, spending the evening watching Leprechaun Returns could at least be a way of staving off cabin fever.
